If you’re preparing for the HashiCorp Terraform Associate Exam, you might be wondering where to start, which resources to use, and how to approach your study plan. I recently passed the exam, and I want to share my experience to help others do the same.
The Terraform Associate certification is for Cloud Engineers specializing in operations, IT, or development who know the basic concepts and skills associated with Terraform. You understand what Terraform Enterprise features exist and can differentiate between Terraform Enterprise and Community Edition. You will be best prepared for this exam if you have professional experience using Terraform in production, but performing the exam objectives in a personal demo environment may be sufficient.
Why Get Terraform Certified?
Terraform has become a go-to tool for Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and getting certified is a great way to validate your skills. Whether you’re a cloud engineer, DevOps professional, or just starting with Terraform, the certification can open doors to new opportunities and solidify your knowledge.
My Study Strategy
I took a structured approach, combining hands-on practice with community insights and official resources. Here’s what worked for me:
- Learn from the Community (Reddit & Forums)
Before diving into courses, I wanted to hear from people who had already passed. I searched “How I passed my Terraform Associate exam” on Reddit, read through the top threads, and took notes on their advice and study strategies. Learning from others’ experiences helped me understand what to focus on.
- Review the Official Exam Guide
I went straight to the HashiCorp official website, downloaded the exam guide, and reviewed the sample questions. This gave me a clear understanding of what topics to expect and how the exam was structured.
- Hands-On Learning with Bryan Krausen’s Course
I enrolled in Bryan Krausen’s HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate – Hands-On Labs course. This was a game-changer because it provided:
- Step-by-step labs to practice real-world Terraform scenarios
- Chapter quizzes to test my understanding
- A full practice exam to simulate the real test environment
- Practice Exams on Udemy
After completing the labs, I took Bryan Krausen’s practice exam on Udemy. This helped reinforce my knowledge and get familiar with the exam format. These provided additional scenario-based questions that pushed me to think critically and apply what I had learned.
- Personal Note
I re-read all my notes the day before my final exam. I also watched 2 youtube videos and tried to answer the questions.
Recap:
- Hands-on practice is crucial. Don’t just memorize concepts, apply them.
- Take multiple practice exams. This will help you gauge your readiness and identify weak areas.
- Use official resources and community insights. Combining different study methods makes preparation more effective.
- Understand Terraform documentation. The exam tests your ability to reference, and use Terraform docs, so get comfortable navigating them.
The Terraform Associate Exam is challenging but completely doable with the right approach. If you’re preparing for it, stay consistent, practice often, and make use of the amazing resources available. Hopefully, my experience helps you on your journey to becoming Terraform certified.
Good luck! 🚀
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